CDC: The U.S. Suicide Rate Continues to Rise

The U.S. suicide rate is the highest in 15 years, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report found the suicide rate has been on the rise since 2000, and hit its highest point in 2009.

Between 2008 and 2009, the suicide rate jumped to 2.4 percent, with 36,909 suicide deaths reported in the United States. About 13 percent of people who committed suicide did so because of financial or employment problems.

There was a 14 percent increase in call volume at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, between 2010 and 2011, thus making mental experts place a stronger focus on job placement and financial services to lower the mental suffering that can lead to an increased number of suicides.

The recent increase in suicide, whether heightened by economic strain or other social triggers, signifies the need for education and training on understanding and preventing suicide,” Dr. Lisa Firestone, Director of Research and Education at the Glendon Association and Violence and Suicide Prevention Alliance, said in a statement.

“The suicidal state is both preventable and treatable. Services and education have been proven to save lives. Armed with the right tools to identify the warning signs and implement helper tasks, we can fight this crisis,” she added.

Nearly 8.3 million adults between 2008 and 2009 reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, the CDC reported. Almost 2.2 million adults reported making suicide plans in 2011, and more than 1 million adults said they attempted suicide in the past year.

Researchers have also found that many people prone to suicidal thoughts have not received the proper treatment. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 percent of American adults suffered from mental illness in 2010, however, only 39.2 percent of that group admitted to receiving treatment.